


Safety Net

by B_Cubbins



Category: The Boys (TV 2019)
Genre: Character Study, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-24
Updated: 2020-11-24
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:42:03
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27694310
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/B_Cubbins/pseuds/B_Cubbins
Summary: A moment from Maeve and Homelander's past.
Relationships: The Homelander | John/Queen Maeve
Comments: 3
Kudos: 30





	Safety Net

'...How about public speaking?'

Maeve is temporarily stunned when Homelander responds with a laugh. 

It's a genuine laugh--loud and braying--not the airy one he chokes out for talk show hosts and congressmen. 

Hearing it, Maeve feels a faint tug somewhere deep within her chest. 

It's rare to hear that laugh these days.

No matter how she tries to rationalize his steadily changing behavior in her mind, Maeve cannot ignore how disturbing she finds the prevalent evolution Homelander has begun to go through . 

He's transforming into something that she dimly realizes she does not understand. Part of her isn't sure she wants to. 

Geniality has become a waning attribute in her partner. These days, it feels as though every time Maeve speaks to him, they're engaging in some game to which only he knows the rules.

But occasionally they have moments like this ; They are currently sitting atop the roof of Seven Tower, having ditched a board room meeting in favor of eating lunch with a view of the city skyline.

The meeting had been about Homelander's debut film, _Homelander Origins _. The pair had slipped out while the writers were grappling with a plot point that would reveal what Homelander was scared of.__

__The writers believed admitting that the hero was capable of experiencing fear would make him seem more human to audiences._ _

__Homelander had scoffed at this, leaning over and whispering to Maeve, _'What'll they think of next ? How to make me appear more idiotic to audiences to make me more relatable to them?'_ _ _

__'Public speaking? Seriously?' Homelander settles beside her, dangling is boots over the side of the roof and swinging them childishly. He picks up his packaged meal, gives it a dismissive once-over, and puts it back down._ _

__'Yeah, everyone's afraid of that'. Maeve takes a bite out of her sandwich. 'And anyone who _likes_ it is a sociopath'_ _

__He twists his neck to stare at her, there is vehement honesty in his face._ _

__' _I_ love it.' He deadpans._ _

__Maeve laughs, almost choking on her food, 'You're a psychopath!'_ _

__'Can't a guy enjoy the sound of an applause from his adoring fans?'_ _

__She shrugs, taking another bite and shifting her gaze to the city._ _

__'I guess, but it's just...not everyone in a crowd is going to like what you're saying. It's even worse if its us ; we're held to such a high standard--it's like people are waiting for us to say the wrong thing. They could turn on you in a second, and then you're adoring fans turn into a murderous mob. That doesn't scare you?'_ _

__Homelander, clearly not interested in his meal, has now contented himself in balancing on the roof's edge. He wobbles a little, then regains his balance._ _

__'That'd never happen, Maeve. People love us too much to question what we say--even if it's the 'wrong thing'. We can do whatever we want.'_ _

__She watches him teeter, and then fall off the side of the roof. He floats midair, before righting himself back on the ledge. His concentration is only broken for a second._ _

__'Well that's just it, isn't it?' She swings her legs back and stands beside him on the ledge. She skips along the side of it, careful not to linger at any point. She stops and splays her arms out for optimum balance._ _

__'What?' his eyes dance after her, watching her daintily pick her way across the roof's overhang._ _

__'You have a safety net in everything you do.' she gestures towards the city beneath them. 'If you fall, you can just fly. In every aspect of life'._ _

__'Not everyone has that luxury' she looks down, feeling only the slightest twinge of fear at the drop below._ _

__Homelander seems to be weighing her words, frowning thoughtfully. He skirts over to where she stands until their shoulders are brushing._ _

__He looks at her with a strange glint in his eye and Maeve responds with the questioning quirk of an eyebrow._ _

__'What--?'_ _

__Suddenly, Maeve receives a rough shove and she's falling._ _

__It happens so fast she barely has time to register she's not on solid ground anymore. Her body twists in midair like a cat, trying to stabilize haphazardly on instinct._ _

__Then, just as her heart begins racing at the realization she's plummeting to her death, her body lurches backwards as two strong arms hoist her up. She's in Homelander's firm grip, soaring through the air._ _

__Her blood roars in her ears, and she can distantly hear the bastard laughing._ _

__In less than a second, he's flown them back up to the roof._ _

__Setting her down gently, he composes himself and is about to open his mouth when Maeve punches him squarely in the face. A normal man's head would have gone flying from his body due to the force of the blow, but to Homelander it merely feels like someone cuffed him._ _

__Truthfully, the action pains her more than him but she takes crude satisfaction from the stunned look on his face._ _

__She glares at him as she rubs her smarting knuckles._ _

__'Criminy, Maeve!' He takes a step backwards and touches his nose tenderly._ _

__'You are an asshole'. She clutches a hand to her chest and doubles over, trying to get some of her dispersed blood to flow back to her head._ _

__There is a long stretch of silence between her and Homelander. The only sounds interrupting it are the occasional flapping of a passing bird, and Maeve swearing between exhales._ _

__'...I wouldn't have let you fall'_ _

__Homelander's voice is uncharacteristically small and quiet. He sounds like a child. She twists her neck to look up at him._ _

__'What?'_ _

__'I was just trying to make a point' He looks at his boots, shrugging slightly. 'I wouldn't have let you fall. Not then, not ever. _I'm_ your safety net'_ _

__Maeve rights herself, finally having regained some semblance of calm._ _

__'You don't have to be scared of anything. I'll always be here to catch you'_ _

__Maeve gives him a leveling look and folds her arms, 'Yeah, and you'll also always be here to push me off buildings so I need catching, huh?' the bitterness has ebbed from her voice, now she just sounds mildly annoyed._ _

__They have resumed their familiar dynamic as if nothing has happened. Maeve will look back on this moment, years from now, and realize how far from the truth that this is._ _

__Homelander looks up from beneath his dark lashes and cracks a smile, it almost seems genuine but something about it is just slightly off._ _

__When he comes to wrap his arms around her, the tugging in Maeve's chest returns._ _

__She pushes it away, willing herself to feel safe in his embrace._ _


End file.
